My son took his time opening each gift – tearing wrapping paper off in one-inch sections and making sure he put them all in the trash bag. He’s quite the little neat freak even at 21 months. And, of course once the gift was opened, it had to be opened. Have you had the pleasure of opening a child’s toy lately? If not, be grateful. The toy is attached to the box by either screws or twist ties. But if that’s not enough, the screws and/or twist ties are covered in packing tape. If you’re fortunate enough to get a Little People’s set, you can have fun prying the little figures out of the heat-molded plastic casing they come in. So, after about 45 minutes of unwrapping one gift…he would move on to the next. Needless to say, unwrapping presents was an all-day event – a very enjoyable, laughter-filled all-day event.

I was having such a good time that it got me reminiscing. I remembered when I

was a child; my parents would tell me that the best Christmas present they could ever receive was watching me open gifts with wide-eyed anticipation. As a young toy-craving kid, I couldn’t understand what they meant. How could giving EVER be better than receiving? I understand completely now. The older my baby gets, the more fun I have giving him gifts. And, the less I care about what I receive. As a kid, I would spend the long days leading up to Christmas examining packages, scheming to find out what was in store for me. Now those days are spent baking for friends and family, taking my son to play dates, and reading him stories about the very first Christmas. A far cry from Barbie dolls and Cabbage Patch kids, but I’ve never been happier.

The holidays have always been a great time of reflection for me. This year is surely no exception. I take note of having been blessed with a healthy child and a loving husband – both of whom have made this Christmas exceptionally grand.

Jennifer Tarzian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Her experience includes sales, service, and managing a small corporation. She is proud to be a stay-at-home mom.

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One of the most romantic, creative and inexpensive gifts you can give your partner this Valentine’s Day is a heartfelt love letter, written from the bottom of your heart!

A heartfelt letter from a man can mean so much more to a woman than just a bunch of roses, box of chocolates or a piece of jewelry.

However, most men feel challenged when it comes to expressing their love in words, especially in writing.

But, with a little help, every man can write a love letter that is sure to move their partner to tears.

You can write a breakthrough love letter by following these 6 simple steps:

1. Remember, There Are No Rules In A Love Letter – A love letter is an intimate conversation between two people and there are no rules to be abided by. Yes, do watch for spelling errors, but do not get caught up in getting the letter right.

2. Collect Your Thoughts – Take some time to think about what you want to say before you start writing. Focus on only one or two ideas in your letter; this reduces the chances of feeling overwhelmed.

3. Overcoming Writer’s Block – For most people, the difficulty in letter-writing is the start and the close. You don’t have to write the letter in a linear fashion. Write the part that comes to you first. You can always go back and complete the other sections later. Never feel that you have nothing to write about, as the simplest things can make

a great letter.

4. Write From Your Heart – Be personal, be yourself. Fill your letter with life. Let your letters be as if you were there talking to your partner face to face. Tell her how much you love her and why.

5. Surprise Your Partner – Surprise your partner by sharing something very intimate with her, that maybe you didn’t express in the past. Talk about something very unique about her that you cherish.

6. Make An Offer She Cannot Refuse – Offer to do something that you know will make her really, really happy. It doesn’t have to be in the form of an expensive gift. It could be as simple as making dinner or giving her a massage, but the key is for you to focus on her 100% and give her your undivided attention.

A love letter written using the above steps is sure to be cherished, saved and read many times over, for many years to come!

Write a love letter this Valentine’s Day that is timeless and everlasting!

Vijay Kannan is the founder and president of Breakthrough-Letters.com(http://www.breakthrough-letters.com).

At breakthrough-letters.com, you can write powerful letters online, in your own words, using breakthrough templates that guide you and make every letter special and unique by adding stationery, fonts and music, in minutes! Click on the link below to view a sample letter created at breakthrough-letters.com:http://www.breakthrough-letters.com/letters/index.pl/11/view?r=2

Kannan also offers a free, 7-Part e-course on “Letter writing skills to improve communication in relationships and Better Email Communcation” that can be obtained either by visiting their website or sending a blank email to subscribe@breakthrough-letters.com

Tiny Love Toys

Cartier Love Ring

Find Love guide and resources.

Ecards in general are becoming more popular due to the simplicity of selection, the free cost, and the instantaneous reception. Those that have sent cards the traditional way in the past, through postal mail, are finding that the benefits of sending free Easter ecards far outweigh the traditional Easter card. Some people are actually sending more ecards for every holiday or special event now because of the easy process. Free Easter ecards are great for men who usually leave the job of sending cards to others to the women. Sending a free Easter ecard can be done from work, home or cafe. No stamp is required, and no time is

lost waiting for it to arrive.

A free Easter ecard that includes music and animation can also be sent. A musical or animated free Easter ecard is a sight. It is amazing to see the advances that have been made in technology in the past decade. A free Easter ecard can be personalized, and sung to the recipient, which facilitates a caring relationship between the sender and receiver. People love getting ecards that show someone is thinking of them. With more and more people on the Internet, it is easier and quicker to transfer information via email.

Another benefit of a free Easter ecard comes when the sender has forgotten and needs a last minute solution. A free Easter ecard can be sent in a minute, thus ending the stress associated with last minute cards. If the sender would like to add a more creative detailed message to the free Easter ecard, they may have to pay a small fee. Other companies offer an inventory of free Easter ecards for a small inventory selection fee. Generally free Easter ecards that charge inventory selection fees are spectacular in nature. If a person can receive a great looking, musically animated free Easter ecard, imagine what they can receive when they pay for extras.

For more information about free easter ecard and free easter ecards, visit:

http://www.christianet.com/christianecards

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The kids grew excited as we drove past the harvested fields of rural farmland, the grazing cattle, and brimming roadside stands. The sights and smells of the country awoke their spirits of adventure and they burst from the car as soon as we stopped at the end of the dirt road.

As they explored their surroundings, the adults began to set up. Our party centered on the activity of making scarecrows. We brought out baskets piled high with faded denim coveralls, straw hats, and flannel shirts. The children enthusiastically costumed themselves as well as the scarecrows. They collected autumn grasses and flowers and wove them into straw hats to take home as mementos.

The country setting and the crisp autumn air inspired many activities. Sack races, a tug of war, and a scavenger hunt kept everyone

busy throughout the afternoon.

As the day came to a close, our guests enjoyed an Indian summer sunset. We bundled sleepy children into cars and returned home with warm recollections of an afternoon shared with special friends.

Do you remember any games from Halloween parties of your childhood? Often the simplest activities create the memories that last a lifetime. This fall, host your own family party.

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About The Author

Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes are the co-authors of the award-winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out their website that’s jam packed with family ideas, visit http://www.togetherparenting.com

To subscribe to their online newsletter, go to http://www.togetherparenting.com/feedback.asp

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Did you know that there is no real Thanksgiving? Before you get upset, the Pilgrims did celebrate Thanksgiving, but not as we think in the traditional sense of a specific day with Turkey and all.

The Pilgrims of Plymouth were strict Calvinist Protestants and did not believe in Christmas, Easter or Saints Day. They believed that these were man-made holidays and only celebrated what they found evidenced in the bible of days of celebration. This came down to three types of holidays, the Sunday Sabbath, Days of Fasting and Humiliation and Days of Thanksgiving and Praise.

Both Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving were not given fixed points on the calendar. These days were in response to the circumstances at large. When the days were unfavorable and there was not enough food to eat, failing crops, disease and unexplained deaths, a Day of Fasting was called for. Everyone went to church to ask for forgiveness and guidance, and then would partake in a modest meal. Conversely, a good harvest or the arrival of a supply ship would call for a day Of Thanksgiving. This would mean going to church to thank God, then celebrating with a festive meal.

In essence, there was no “First Thanksgiving,” merely many different days of celebration throughout each year. The pilgrims made it a practice to give thanks. Today, Thanksgiving has transformed from a religious celebration of thanks, to a secular, cultural event of thanks. We gather with our families, truly in spirit of thanks and appreciation for our lives. Often, however, we are not in touch with the essence of Thanksgiving and fail to stop and acknowledge our thanks.

This year before we feast, let’s take the time to share our thanks. This is not a religious exercise. This is an exercise

of appreciation and recognition that by changing your thought patterns to the positive you can accomplish anything!

So enjoy this holiday and join with family and friends and strangers alike and participate in the real Thanksgiving, by giving thanks and sharing with each other.

Five Easy Steps to The Real Thanksgiving

Step One: Hold Hands

Don’t be shy; this is a simple process of connecting to each other.

Step Two: Be Silent

We are always in such a rush and miss so much as we do. Take ten seconds here and think about as a group all the things you are thankful for. The experience will be powerful.

Step Three: The Opening

Pick someone to start and begin with a simple statement.“Thanksgiving a day of thanks and I would like to share three things that I am thankful for: 1._______ 2. ________ 3. _________.”

Step Four: Passing of thanks.

Each person then says to the group three things that he or she is thankful for.

Step five: Eat, Laugh and Enjoy!

I guarantee that taking this small amount of time will put you in touch with the real Thanksgiving, making it so much better and maybe one of your best.

About The Author – As a life coach, Devlyn has made helping people find ways to improve their lives his personal mission and passion. He is a public consultant, a private counselor, an author and creator of Tools To Life. He has hosted his own radio shows called “Tools To Life” and “Love beat” and has been a guest on over 150 various shows. You can read his articles and advice all over the internet. Devlyn has often been referred to as “America’s Leading Life-Coach.” For more information visit DevlynSteele.com or LifeCoachAdvice.com Send Questions To: CoachSteele@ToolsToLife.com

So I invite you to make a pact with me — this is the year that you decide to step off of the treadmill and do your own thing. Who says that you have to have a nervous breakdown to celebrate properly? Where is it written that you must give in to the consumer feeding frenzy? If I remember correctly, the holidays are supposed to be a time when you celebrate all that is good about life — when you enjoy the company of your friends and family — and when you spread goodwill wherever you go. The holidays are a time when you get to practice being the person you always hoped you could be — how can you do that when you are going 90 miles an hour? Let’s take time this year to develop a few holiday rituals that focus on your true priorities.

TURN OFF THE TV

How much time do you spend during the holiday season watching the boob tube? TV execs have got things figured out this time of year — if they call it a “special,” everyone will tune in. But how many times do you really need to see the “Grinch” and “It’s A Wonderful Life”? Wouldn’t that time be better spent doing something meaningful with your loved ones? Try and trade at least one TV show for the telling of a holiday story — or go caroling around your neighborhood. The memories you share will be much more valuable than that lost hour in front of the telly.

FOCUS ON GIVING RATHER THAN RECEIVING

I received an e-mail 2 years ago called “The White Envelope” — and it really made me think about the true meaning of the holidays. On Christmas morning, a family came downstairs to open their presents and found a white envelope sitting on the mantel. No one was sure who put it there, but they eagerly opened the envelope, thinking it might be another present. It was, but not for any of them. Enclosed was a letter, stating that an anonymous gift had been given to a local community group on behalf of the family. No one ever confessed to having made the donation, but every year one member of the family would secretly take a turn at the tradition. And from that point forward, the family was more excited about opening the white envelope than their own gifts. What would you place in your white envelope?

TRY ON ANOTHER HOLIDAY FOR SIZE

One of my favorite holiday rituals is celebrating in the tradition of another culture each year. This doesn’t mean abandoning your own religious beliefs or personal preferences — it’s just an exercise in expanding your horizons. One year, we celebrated the last day of Hanukkah with some Jewish friends — another year, we lit the candles on the kenara each day of Kwanzaa. There are so many interesting holidays during the winter months — solstice, Boxing Day, Ramadaan — each with fascinating origins and symbolism.

You can also find hundreds of different ways to celebrate Christmas — try fixing a holiday dish from another country or instituting a foreign tradition. Maybe this year, you can put out wooden shoes instead of stockings (Holland) — or hang a blown glass pickle on your tree (Germany) — or have your holiday meal at midnight on Christmas eve (Mexico). This practice will liven up your holidays, give your family something new and interesting

to do each year, and keep you from getting into a rut with your celebrations.

TURN CHORES INTO A PLEASANT RITUAL

Many people look at the traditional activities of the holiday season — putting up decorations, sending greeting cards, baking goodies — as a chore rather than a joy. I can think of nothing more distasteful than doing something because I HAVE TO! But I’ve found that setting the mood makes all the difference. Instead of sitting at a dreary desk with inadequate lighting and a cramp in your neck writing out cards, take your stationery to a cozy little cafe and make an afternoon out of it. Rather than fighting with those tangled strings of lights by yourself, invite your friends to a decorating party. Turn on some holiday music, order some food, and serve hot chocolate — you will be surprised at how much fun you have!

GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN

Which holiday party sounds better to you: one where you get to spend time socializing with your friends and family — or one where you spend all night running back and forth to the kitchen checking, tasting, basting, serving, and cleaning up? I personally would go for the first choice! Your loved ones will appreciate you much more if they actually see you than if you serve them a 17 course meal. Remember, Martha Stewart has a paid staff and tons of money and way too much time on her hands! Instead of trying to kill yourself entertaining, plan a potluck or a progressive dinner (where each guest prepares one course and you eat your way from house to house). Or you can even have your party catered. Do whatever it takes so that you can actually enjoy the celebration along with your guests.

SPEND SOME QUIET TIME

We often get caught up in the idea that we need to always busy during the holidays — going somewhere, doing something — we’re so busy having amazing experiences that we can’t even remember them all! There is a lot to be said for stopping and just sitting still. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy lighting a few candles, putting on some soft music, and curling up with a book and a cup of tea in front of the fire. That’s my holiday quiet time. Yours might involve a walk through the neighborhood looking at lights or time with your kids before bed. Build some silence into your list of rituals — you will find that the holidays seem much less hectic and more enjoyable.

GET OUT OF THE MALL AND BACK TO NATURE

Unfortunately, most of our holiday experiences these days seem to be inside of a building — concerts, shopping, parties, Festival Of Trees, indoor ice skating — don’t people get outside anymore? Develop some rituals that involve stepping out into nature. Hang pine cone ornaments (covered in peanut butter and bird seed) on trees in the woods — as a treat for the birds. Go to a Christmas tree farm and cut your own tree. Build a snowman. Just take a walk through the brisk morning air. Get “unplugged” for a little bit and reflect on the real meaning of the season.

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com — a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the “Get Organized” and “Organized For A Living” newsletters. Please visit http://www.OnlineOrganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

Why promote Mother’s (or any holiday for that matter) when it’s still more than 2 or 3 weeks away? Why do you start seeing Halloween costumes for sale in September and Christmas decorations in October? There’s several reasons, but

the two biggest ones are:

- To stay ahead of the competition

- Keep your business in mind when your customers begin their holiday shopping.

It’s especially important to advertise products and specials far ahead of time in direct sales, because we need to keep in mind shipping times. If your shipping time is 1-2 weeks, your customers only have this week to shop.

If it’s too late for Mother’s Day, start thinking about Independence Day and what you can do to spice up your business!

~~~~~~~

About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. Learn how you can be successful in your company by visiting:http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com

2. Invitations: Compose a quick scattermail. Christmas Party tomorrow — be there or keep making sales calls – your choice. For those people who don’t celebrate Christmas (but maybe Hannukah or Ramadan instead) — suggest they stay behind to clean out old files. If people want to invite kids or significant others, tell them that family members can be annoying.

3. Seating: Seat people with their regular office buddies so they can come up with funny names for the people they don’t like in other departments.

4. Refreshments: If people get drunk make a note of the things they say and do, then remind them on Monday morning.

5. Activities: Ask the IT guy to “get the party going”. This could lead to some wonderful spontaneous activities like hacking the boss’s private files, the sick joke contest, or paint ball with Correction Fluid.

5 Ways to Amp Up your Office Party

In case you aren’t interested in the possible side effects of the above, here are some tried-and-true approaches to ensuring an enjoyable event.

1. Create a planning committee: Spread the organizing over several people. Ensure there is enough planning time and a big enough budget. However, do survey what employees would most enjoy. In general, people enjoy events where they feel inspired, included and appreciated.

Remember — substance is more important than flash. With creativity you can do a lot on a little.

2. Be inclusive: A Christmas party may alienate some of your staff. If people are from diverse backgrounds, have a more generic Holiday party. If you have an office party during the day, make sure everyone can attend. Do invite significant others and children for at least one office party a year.

3. Help them mix: Your company party may be the only time people get to meet the president, CEO or VPs in person, or people from other departments or locations. Make sure people don’t spend the entire event with their regular office buddies. Enhancing workplace relationships at all levels can have a very positive affect on the bottom line, communication, enjoyment and overall morale.

4. Eat, drink and be merry — in moderation: If you serve alcohol make sure you serve food at the same time. Include plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and healthy food options along with the usual treats. If people overdo it they may associate your party with negative feelings about what they did or said, or how they felt the next day. Provide other forms of “social lubricant” such as interactive mixers.

5. Hire a pro: To create the right atmosphere you might like to hire a professional speaker who knows how to bring people together respectfully and easily, and keep them laughing the whole time.

Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. If you want a motivational speaker, trainer, or leadership coach to help you stay on the creative edge, contact Carla Rieger.

Web site: http://www.carlarieger.com

Tel: 1-866-294-2988

Email carla@carlarieger.com

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

Wear comfortable shoes!!

Carry a flashlight

Wear something with a reflector on it (you can even find reflector tape and paint at your local home improvement store.

Go out before dark-especially for little ones. The big kids tend to flood the streets later at night making it hard for little ones to trick or treat.

Never go into a strangers house, even if they ask you to come in while they go and get some candy.

Throw away all homemade or unwrapped treats. I know some people work hard on making great home made treats, but in this day and age its not worth the risk!

When walking down the street, have the adult walk closest to the road, and the children closest to the houses.

Do not run ahead of the adults-its very easy for children to get carried away and accidentally run into the road.

Do not pet strange animals while trick or treating. Though you really shouldn’t ever pet someone’s animal with out being invited to do so, you especially shouldn’t during trick or treating where your costume or other costumes may be irritating or confusing to the animal.

Do not eat candy as you go.

Always be nice, even when people do not have any candy

to give out.

Do not knock on doors where the lights are off.

Watch where you step!

Have a plan before you start. If you are walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood, it is easy to get lost.

When you approach a treat giving house, make sure to yell “Trick or Treat!” very loudly!

When you get home, check all of the candy before allowing children to eat any of it.

You are looking for:

• old worn wrappers

• torn wrappers (even with the smallest hole)

• home made treats

• unwrapped treats

• toys with small parts that may be a chocking hazard

• money (change)

• fruit

• any candy that looks like it may have been tampered with.

• for small children, remove any hard candies. They tend to become slick once in the mouth and can quickly become a choking hazard.

• lickable stamps

• glass or sharp objects

If you find any of the above mentioned items, its best to discard them-trust me, there will still be plenty of treats to go around afterwards!!

Have a safe and Fun Halloween-and take lots of pictures!

About The Author

Samantha Olea is a designer, business woman, wife, and most of all Mother of 2! Samantha founded a free parenting resource at http://TheBestMoms.com hoping to help every mom be the very best mom they can be! Samantha is also the owner of her own web design, graphic design, and hosting firm at : http://getwrappedup.com and AWU Gifts: http://Gifts.GetWrappedUp.com , where she helps Moms work from their homes.

sam@thebestmoms.com

The Fragrance Sampler: If Dad likes fragrance, give him a selection of men’s colognes in a gift container.

The Shaving Kit: Give the man who shaves a kit containing a shaving mask, a shaving soap or cream, an aftershave splash, and a fancy razor.

The Foot Care Kit: If Dad is on his feet a lot, his feet could probably use some pampering. Give him a gift

basket containing a foot soak, a foot wash, a foot spray, and foot powder. Include a pumice stone, nail clippers, or some comfy slippers.

The Soap Basket: Give Dad a collection of luxury soaps in scents just for men. Include a towel and washcloth personalized with his initials for an extra special touch.

To make your gift even more special package it in a unique gift container. Baskets in interesting shapes, small travel bags, or fabric gift bags can add interest to your gift and make it even more useful.

Give Dad one of these gift sets on Father’s Day and he will feel really special.

Ololade Franklin is author of the book “Bath and Body Care Recipes For Men” For details about this book visit http://my.lulu.com/content/84902